While the Chicago Blackhawks are taking a beating in the public eye for disbanding a Stanley Cup winning team, there still is some business to attend to when it comes to icing a team next season. One of the young guys in the Hawks system that will be counted on to bring a bit more to the table next year is center Jack Skille. Skille re-signed with Chicago today on a one-year deal.

The deal is worth $600,000. That’s a big difference than his cap hit of more than $1 million the past few years. That inflated cap hit was a reason why Skille didn’t see much time with the Hawks.

Skille was drafted by the Hawks with the seventh overall pick in the 2005 draft. Skille played at Wisconsin before joining the Rockford IceHogs, the Hawks’ American Hockey League affiliate. He had 23 goals and 49 points for Rockford in 2009-10.

It’s always nice to see former college players do well (yes, I’m a shameless college hockey fan, you’ll get used to this) and Skille will now have a great opportunity to seize his career opportunity of a lifetime with the Blackhawks being a bit desperate to fill slots on the big club with experienced guys. Skille has some size, he’s 6’1″ 215 and he’s a quick skater which translates into a guy that could prove to be helpful in a grind line kind of role.